Falcon Soccer Depending on Senior Leadership

by Bob McPhee
     
     RUMFORD - There may be some unfinished business to kick over, however, the Mountain Valley boys’ soccer team will need to make several adjustments and utilize the skills of the returning talent.
     The Falcons put forth a late surge last fall, but came up just shy of earning a berth in the postseason.
     MV will have a new look because it might require the defense to step up and carry the load early on. The seven returning lettermen will be led by senior defenders Zachary Taylor, Eric Billings and David Widger. They will support junior goal keeper Kyle Gauvin.
     “Certainly, with captains Zach Taylor and Kyle Gauvin returning, a major emphasis is on defense,” said
     head coach Jarrod Dumas, who is in his fifth year. “This team will work on playing top defense, maintaining possession of the ball, and taking our chances when we get them.”
     Junior Andrew Child and sophomore Austin Glover are midfielders. Mountain Valley’s strength is in its
     senior leadership, with Taylor, Billings, Ian Sweetser and Widger providing the stability that fourth-year players bring to a program.
     “Kyle Gauvin should continue to grow,” said Dumas, who is assisted by Todd Papianou. “He should be a top keeper in the conference. We’re certainly looking for him to have a good campaign. A lot will hinge on a strong sophomore class, led by Austin Glover and Andrew Phelps, who both made major contributions to the varsity side last season.”
     Phelps is the lone returning striker and will need to develop as a scorer must emerge in the new offense, so look to Phelps, Glover and Sweetser to contribute on the offensive end. The team graduated Dylan
     Mawhinney and will miss foreign exchange students Luiz Ristow, Yago Ceballos and Toni Weber.
     The firepower could receive a spark from several promising freshmen, including strikers Shawn Bennett and Andrew Boucher, midfielders Casey Child and Nathan Fitzpatrick. Mike Theriault is on defense.
     Dumas believes if Garrett Carver, Josh Rainey and Nathan Buotte can grow into their varsity boots even more, this class could dominate the program. Theriault played summer soccer and is already learning how to contribute.
     All in all, Mountain Valley should hold its own after major losses to graduation. Unfortunately, the Falcons won’t have an opportunity to play the top coastal powers, since the MVC rearranged. Still, Mt. Abram, Telstar and Dirigo will be competitive.